Proso Millet Bisi Bele Bhath | Millet Mania

I have been tinkering a lot with millets of late. My fascination isn’t so much about their recent fad as super grains but is more to do with their place of pride as ancient grains and the production process, which is more climate sustainable than rice or wheat. However, the nutritional benefits that they bring on our plate is undeniable, especially when we see gluten intolerance on a rise across the globe. Though I am skeptical about turning millets into the next mass production, cash crops without regard to their place of origin and indigenous cultures that have sustained them, I still urge many of my friends to diversify their taste buds and to start including these humble grains in their diet especially since these grains are so versatile. 

When I started on my journey with millets, initially, I experimented with various millet flours and gradually graduated to whole grains, cooking couple of predictable dishes like Jowar upma, Ragi dosa or idli, khichri with Little Millet and my family loved it all. Emboldened by their response, I ordered five different varieties of millets and challenged myself to innovate the traditional recipes by substituting basic ingredients such as wheat or rice with these millets and come up with dishes that were easy on the palate yet tasted like the original if not better!

Today was an experiment with Proso millet and I have tried to give a very interesting twist to Bisi Bele Bhath also known as Bisi Bele Huliyanna, one of the traditional dishes of Karnataka. Bisi Bele Bhath, which translates to 'hot lentil rice dish' in the Kannada language, is a wholesome meal that's said to have originated in the Mysore Palace and from there spread across the entire state. The traditional preparation of this dish is quite elaborate and is prepared with toor dal (a type of lentil), rice, ghee, vegetables cooked together with tamarind, and a special spice mix known as Bisi Bele Bath powder. Spices like nutmeg, asafoetida, curry leaves, and tamarind pulp contribute to its unique flavor and taste. Some versions of the dish are prepared with up to thirty ingredients. It tastes best when seasoned with Desi Ghee and served piping hot accompanied with chutney, boondi, salad, papad, or potato chips. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Proso Millet

• 1/4 cup Toor dal (pigeon peas)

• 4 tsp Moong dal

• 2 tsp Ghee

• 1 Onion

• 8-10 Shallots

• 1 Tomato

• 1 Carrot

• 1 Potato

• 10 French Beans

• 2 Pointed Gourds

• 8-10 cubes of Squash

• Freshly chopped coconut

• 1 tsp grated ginger

• Tamarind lemon sized ball

• Salt as needed

• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

• 1 pinch Asafoetida

To temper:

• 1 tsp Ghee

• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

• Few Curry leaves

• 10 Cashew nuts

• 1/4 cup Peanuts

Bisibelebath powder

• 1/4 cup chana dal 

• 1/4 cup urad dal

• 3/4 cup coriander seeds/ dhania

• 1 tablespoon jeera/ cumin

• 3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon methi/ fenugreek seeds

• 1 tablespoon Poppy seeds /Gasagase

• 10 to 12 inch pieces of cinnamon sticks

• 6 cloves

• 45 dry red chillies

• 20-25 dry guntur red chillies 

• 2 tablespoon oil

Preparation:

In a bowl, add proso millet, moong dal, and toor dal.

Wash and soak for at least 15 to 30 minutes.

Chop vegetables, keep it in a bowl, chop potato and keep it in water.

Soak tamarind.

Chop onions and tomato. Do not chop shallots.

Bisibelebath powder

Heat the pan on a medium high heat.
Add oil, then add all the ingredients ( channa dal, urad dal, jeera/ cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cinnamon sticks, cloves and both variety red chillies ) except dhania and poppy seeds.
Fry it until channa dal and urad dal turn to golden brown color and releases a nice aroma.
Once it turns golden brown color, add dhania and poppy seeds. Fry it for a minute.
Turn off the heat and let it cool down completely.
Then grind to a fine powder. Put the powder in the pan and mix really well.
The Mysore Bisi Bele Bath Powder is ready. Store it in a container and use for that authentic Bisi Bele Bhath taste.

Method:
Heat 2 tsp of ghee in a pressure cooker.
Add chopped onion and shallots, cook till it becomes translucent.
Add chopped tomato, cook till it becomes mushy.
Add remaining vegetables and mix well.
Now add salt, turmeric powder, and asafoetida.
Add bisibelebhath masala. Combine everything well.
Now add soaked millet and dal.
Add 3 to 4 cups of water.
Mix well and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
Once pressure is released, open and mix it with a spatula.
Add tamarind pulp.
Mix well and you can add hot water to loosen the texture.
Heat 1 tsp of ghee in a seasoning pan, add mustard seeds and curry leaves and allow it to crackle.
Add cashew nuts and peanuts, cook till golden brown.
Add the bisi bele bhath seasoning and combine well. 
Yummy Proso-Bisi-Bele-Bhath is ready. Serve hot with papad, raita or potato chips.

Apart from Proso millet, you can also use Foxtail millet, Barnyard millet, Kodo millet, Little Millet. It is a really healthy one pot meal with vegetables, dal and millet. Do try this delicious and fibrous millet bisi bele bath and share your comments.